“Send me,†reads a tattoo on Kiela Hartwig’s left forearm.
“‘Here I am; send me,’†is how Isaiah responds to God’s call for a messenger, Hartwig quoted (Isaiah 6:8).
“That was one of the quotes I leaned on when I was an officer, about doing good in the world, carrying out His work, and being willing to go out and do those (difficult) things,†Hartwig said.
It’s a common thread among her three most recent jobs. As a Waverly Police officer for five years ending in August 2024, “Send me†was inked for her last two years on the force.
It ties into her current purposeful work as the co-owner of a tattoo removal business, Outset Skin Studio, which she began with her husband, Jared, on Sept. 10. They help people clear their physical canvas of painful reminders such as soured relationships or—sometimes—reminders of prison. Both are certified to perform treatments, and he fills in as needed.
The prophet’s words also center her in her newest role as victim witness coordinator for the Bremer County Attorney’s Office.
Hartwig began mid-June as part-time victim witness coordinator for the Office of Bremer County Attorney Darius Robinson. She follows up on cases, contacts victims and witnesses to walk them through court and finds addresses to send subpoenas, working for him and his assistant attorneys.
“This last quarter alone (April 1-June 30), I believe we helped offer services to 20 new (case) victims,†Hartwig said. Victims can be individuals or businesses.
“Anything that has a victim tied to it, they can register to be listed as a victim in the case, which entitles them to notification of the court process,†Hartwig said.
The number excludes victims in ongoing cases and crimes without a specified victim.
She works coordinating restitution and other victim advocacy services for crimes ranging from burglary, sexual assault and harassment to petty theft. Services Hartwig provides could be familiarizing victims/survivors with the court process and connecting them with counseling as needed.
“Yes, I believe (Isaiah’s) message is still tied to this work. I look at it as providing help to those who need it and sharing hope to those people in dark times,†she said.
Customers with a pesky tattoo need not worry. Kiela and Jared continue to operate Outset Skin Studio by appointment only. She works three days a week as victim witness coordinator at the courthouse, scheduling around the business.
“I will continue to see clients (at Outset Skin Studio) as usual. The flexibility of both jobs allows me to schedule clients as I have previously (at my business) and to work my hours at the courthouse around those. I will only be open by appointment at Outset Skin Studio, as it works best for our family and work-life balance,†she said.
Being former law enforcement is something she shares with the last two victim witness coordinators.
“They retired from law enforcement work, and this is a nice part-time way to give back and still be a part of the community and supporting the people in it,†Hartwig said.
“I’ve seen the firsthand side of it, of making sure they’re safe and secure where they’re at.
“And now being able to use this position to keep them safe, happy, secured, and cared for in the long-term is really rewarding as well,†she said.
The coordinator’s role begins after the victim has worked with law enforcement investigators.
Hartwig’s top three goals on the job are: “One, to make sure no one feels alone. Two, to make sure nothing is a surprise through the court process. Three is to make sure we’ve given every resource and foundation we can to any person who’s struggling in our community,†she said.
“A lot of people who are labeled victims of crimes have never experienced a court process before, have never seen the inside of a courtroom.
“And not only are they taking on all that information, they also are processing whatever crime or trauma they were just put through.
“It’s kind of like drinking out of a fire hose; it can be. We’ve got kids from 5 years old to adults in their 80s that we see and tend to. A broad range of people are victims of crimes, and so many different resources are needed for each category of people,†she said.
One resource, Iowa Vine Link, helps victims monitor and be notified on their phone of where the defendant is in the correctional system or if they are released, “which is really beneficial, especially for survivors of, like, domestic violence or sexual assault,†Hartwig said.
Knowing where the defendant is can relieve the sense of “always looking over your shoulder†while trying to move on, she said. “We don’t want people to have to feel that sense of insecurity all the time.â€
She helps businesses that are victims of crimes like theft, such as to explain their rights and help file paperwork.
It’s simplest to help with theft if the victim can provide video or testimony to investigators, as is often the case in retail theft but less often in outdoor thefts such as of possessions from a vehicle or decorations from a grave.
If investigators can track down who did it and prove that in court, “then yes, they can file for restitution,†she said.
Hartwig’s third stated goal of the job, making sure to have given any resource to the victim, takes time.
Court cases can take years.
“We’re with them for the entire court process and even after. (…) We try to get them on their own path in a healthy safe way so they can be equipped to handle things after the case is done,†she said.
“Depending on the offenses that were done, that also brings on a whole new set of challenges. Like sexual assault victims are going to need a lot more help with therapy and processing that kind of trauma moving forward and finding a support system, versus someone whose car got stolen,†she said.
Still, after a vehicle theft, she would evaluate: Are they losing wages? Are they out of work? Are they unable to get groceries?
“There’s a lot of different things to think about,†Hartwig said. She would focus on “getting them the basic needs and resources†to keep their job and find food.
“Versus a sex assault victim who needs – probably some really intensive therapy.†She listed the challenges: “One, to accept that they need therapy, and two, to actually act on that, is really tough, especially after that kind of crime.â€
“To really work with each person as an individual is important, and to be able to read them specifically,†she said.
“We (might) see it as A, B, C—I was here; I was hurt; I should do this to get better. And it looks really simple; it makes sense—mathematically, but in traumatic events, I see a lot of it that people just want ‘it’ to go away.
“(They feel) ‘If I make it a big thing or I address it, then I have to admit that it happened, I have to admit that it was a big thing.’
“Making sure that they feel supported (is key),†she said.
“In the long-term, it’s so much better to get through that healing process as soon as you can.â€
That’s why Hartwig said she pushes for traumatized people to get in the door to therapy right away, “to get that ball rolling and to get them healthy and safe again.â€
Therapy can be needed after crimes like harassment, as well.
“Harassment cases are a big one. (At) times—it’s overwhelming, inundating for them, it feels like it takes over their life,†she said.
“Even if it’s just little things over time, those stress levels in your body can add up and wreak havoc.â€
Hartwig said it’s important to find a healthy outlet to process those emotions as they manifest in the body, “whether it’s going for walks or (…) scream(ing) into a pillow.â€
A healthy outlet can help clear the person’s emotional slate to face the court process, she said.
